Iraqi, Turkish Leaders Discuss Israel's Regional Escalation

A handout photo made available by the Turkish Presidential Press Office shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani (L) shaking hands during their meeting at the Presidential Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul, Türkiye, 01 November 2024. (EPA/TUrkish Presidential Press Office Handout)
A handout photo made available by the Turkish Presidential Press Office shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani (L) shaking hands during their meeting at the Presidential Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul, Türkiye, 01 November 2024. (EPA/TUrkish Presidential Press Office Handout)
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Iraqi, Turkish Leaders Discuss Israel's Regional Escalation

A handout photo made available by the Turkish Presidential Press Office shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani (L) shaking hands during their meeting at the Presidential Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul, Türkiye, 01 November 2024. (EPA/TUrkish Presidential Press Office Handout)
A handout photo made available by the Turkish Presidential Press Office shows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani (L) shaking hands during their meeting at the Presidential Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul, Türkiye, 01 November 2024. (EPA/TUrkish Presidential Press Office Handout)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani discussed ways to strengthen ties between Türkiye and Iraq, focusing on cooperation in combating terrorism and addressing regional issues.

Al-Sudani made an unannounced visit to Türkiye on Friday, where he was welcomed by Erdogan at the Vahdettin Mansion in Istanbul.

The two leaders talked about various aspects of their relationship, including water resources, energy collaboration, the Development Road project, and joint efforts to enhance border security and combat the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Al-Sudani’s visit comes after a meeting with Erdogan on September 25 during the UN General Assembly in New York.

The timing is crucial, following a terrorist attack on the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) in Ankara on October 23 and amid heightened tensions in the region due to increased Israeli military actions.

Diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Erdogan and Al-Sudani focused their discussions on boosting cooperation between Türkiye and Iraq to combat terrorism, especially targeting the PKK, which Türkiye considers a terrorist group and is banned in Iraq.

Additionally, sources informed Asharq Al-Awsat that Erdogan and Al-Sudani discussed Israel’s expansion of attacks from Gaza into Lebanon and Syria, stressing the risks to regional stability and the need for cooperation to achieve a ceasefire and prevent further escalation.

They also addressed efforts to normalize relations between Türkiye and Syria, with Baghdad playing a role in resuming talks and facilitating a meeting between Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which Ankara supports.



Two Officials: Israel is Being Attacked Daily by One-Way Drones from Iraq

A member of the Israeli security forces works next to a damaged car at the site of a drone attack, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Karmiel, northern Israel October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
A member of the Israeli security forces works next to a damaged car at the site of a drone attack, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Karmiel, northern Israel October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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Two Officials: Israel is Being Attacked Daily by One-Way Drones from Iraq

A member of the Israeli security forces works next to a damaged car at the site of a drone attack, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Karmiel, northern Israel October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
A member of the Israeli security forces works next to a damaged car at the site of a drone attack, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Karmiel, northern Israel October 27, 2024. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

Iranian-backed militias are launching one-way attack drones against Israel from inside Iraq, which US and partner forces have had to intercept, two officials told The Associated Press.
Both a US defense official and a regional security official said the one-way drones have been an issue since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, and aren’t a retaliation from Iran for Israel’s strikes last week.
However the drone attacks have increased in number in recent weeks. There’s been an average of about five launches a day from within Iraq targeting Israel by Iranian-aligned militia groups, and within the last week, eight UAVs were fired in one 24-hour period, the regional security officer said.
US and partnered forces have been intercepting the attack drones, both officials said. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public on the Iraq-launched drone attacks.
The ongoing launches have increased the chance that Israel will respond directly to those attacks, the regional security official said.